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Monday, April 30, 2012

My empty nest... or so I thought

I haven't written any blog posts since October of last year. Nor have I really read any blogs (unless they showed up on networked blogs on Facebook). My daughter sent me a link to a blog to read and then I started checking out the blogs I was following before. This got me to write a new post. Not sure how long I'll last. Let's see how this goes.

I thought I'd just catch everyone up on what's been happening since last summer. You all know my oldest kid, Gina got married last July. Great wedding, fun times! Gene is still my favorite son-in-law.

Not a whole lot has changed in the past year (maybe that's why I stopped blogging).

My son (typical middle kid... only son, my only leftie, my only blonde kid when he was little) moved to Buffalo, NY to go to grad school and get his Master's degree in Applied Economics (whatever THAT is).

My youngest kid decided not to go back to college after her freshman year, despite the fact that she made the Dean's list. Dani really wanted to do hair, so she went back to the Pittsburgh area, moved in with her boyfriend (possibly my other future favorite son-in-law), and went to Cosmetology school. She finished, took her test, got her license and has been gainfully employed since the end of last summer. And she's a damn good hairdresser!

A few months ago, Dani calls me and asks me if she can move back home "for a while" this summer. How long is "a while", I ask. Um... a year? Is Dustin coming with you? Yes. So, softie me says yes, even though her empty nest will no longer be empty. Dustin wants to work for a year before applying to grad school, and living on their own at this point is too hard, financially for them. And she doesn't want to work in the Pittsburgh are (where they'd be living with Dustin's parents in a very small town. The commute for a decent job for her would be a good hour each way) She says they'll help with utilities and stuff. I made a deal with them that they wouldn't have to pay rent for 2 months if Dustin gets all my gardens into shape. He also wants to plant a vegetable garden behind my garage. Go for it! So they'll be moving home in mid-May. Dani made a quick weekend trip home last week with some stuff and to go on a job interview at a salon in our area. She also got her job back at the outlet store she's worked at for a few years, at least until she can get comfortable in a hairdressing job.

Then, a few weeks ago, my son call me. Mom? Can I move home for a while? sigh. My empty nest is getting smaller and smaller. Apparently, the classes he needs to take for this next (and final) semester have been cancelled and he's going to do this semester as independent study. No need for him to live in Buffalo if all he needs to do is email his work to his professors. And his job at the college is finished anyway. So he will also be moving home in mid-May. He came home this week and brought some stuff with him. Tim did inform me me that he's only staying until the end of June when he can move in with a buddy of his. Now he just needs to find a job.

So I'll have 2 of my 3 kids back with me for a while. Time for me to get my house back in shape (I admit. I've been lazy about cleaning. Without Mr. Anal Retentive living here to make sure everything is in order, I've become somewhat lax OK, I've become a slob. There. I've said it.

I"m thinking I wish I could afford a cleaning lady, but I'd have a lot of cleaning up to do before I could even think about something like that!

Sigh. Guess I better dust off the old vacuuming cleaner and get moving.

How I've missed you Joanie. Just as you're coming back, I'm thinking of leaving blogland. I'm at the point where I just want to enjoy the peace Joe and I had to work SO HARD to achieve and are still being bombarded by those who want to ruin it for us.

And I'm thinking that your last act of cleaning your house is a ritual of failure. This might be the LAST TIME it is clean again....at least for a year.

Wow Joanie, your back. Good to hear from you on your blog. Yes that revolving door. My daughter was just home for 3 months then just left again on the weekend. It was good, the older they get the better it is I think. Fingers crossed it all goes well. And dont worry too much about the cleaning, they wont be even able to tell the difference I think.

Wow, I really admire you being mom when you supported your daughter’s decision to be a hairdresser instead of pursuing her studies. That must have been hard on your part, but then you as a couple have accepted it wholeheartedly and supported her all the way. Not all parents are like that. So kudos to you guys!

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Who am I? I'm a mom of 3 grown kids, a sister, a lover, a friend, a caregiver, and empty nester. My son graduated from college last year and will be headed to grad school in New York. I also have a daughter who just graduated from Cosmetology school in western PA, and my oldest daughter is living on her own and just got married!!!
And maybe someday I might even be a wife again.
I'm in a relationship with a fellow who can absolutely curl my toes! That's him, right down there, below my profile! I am helping John (the fellow right down there) in a battle of his life with Lymphoma (in remission for 2 years now since his stem cell transplant!). Even with all that going on, we try to view life with humor and love. I hope that is reflected in my writing.